Fitbug brings personalized fitness plans to Orb tracker at CES 2014

Will Fitbug's new fitness plans keep you motivated?
Brian Bennett/CNET

Any fancy fitness tracker worth its salt can measure your activity but helping you stay motivated to exercise is another matter entirely. Fitbug, the company behind the Fitbug Orb device, feels it has what you need to keep on track. At CES 2014, Fitbug has unveiled targeted twelve week plans designed to push users toward the specific results they want.

Stamped with colorful descriptors such as "no more baby belly", "bum beautiful", and "gut buster", Fitbug claims its workout programs behave as virtual personal trainers. Indeed the firm says that plans will consist of online and app-based tools created with advise from experts in the health and dietary fields.

On the surface it sounds very compelling but there is one big hurdle I immediately see --- access to these plans will cost extra. For instance the specialized training regimens start at $19.99 (hopefully a flat fee) but could conceivable run for more. Even so, other players in this space such as Fitbit, makers of the popular Fitbit Force, already charge $50 a year for its premium personal trainer service.

Interested in giving one of Fitbug's new plans a go? You'll have to wait until the first half of 2014 when Fitbug says it will launch its training programs.

About the author

Brian Bennett is senior editor for appliances at CNET and reviews a wide range of household and smart-home products. These include everything from microwave ovens, blenders, ranges and coffee makers to personal weather stations. An NYC native, Brian now resides in bucolic Louisville, Kentucky where he dreams of someday owning the sparkling house of the future.
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